The Power of Giving
by PJOwrites
Summary: The seven plus Reyna, Nico, Thalia, and Bianca were never normal. The fact that the government was trying to capture people like them didn't exactly help. (The title will make sense somewhere along the story and they're not demigods, they just have powers. Minor swearing)
1. Jason Grace

In 2010, there was a less than remembered incident at a zoo. From those who still remember, and were present, it was described as "horrific" and "incomprehensible." The subject of the matter was taken into custody and after further inspection, removed from her family and taken somewhere far from civilization. The subject underwent many tests, experiments, and trials for almost 2 years.

Every since that particular day, there had been an increase of security and public watch in America. No one but the people who were such, knew who was an undercover spy and who not. The spying's only exception was schools, due to not wanting to frighten teachers, parents and students. However, another incident occurred at the hands of a highschooler. Another girl, about 17, almost struck a kid with lighting when she found out she'd been bullying her little brother. This girl was also removed from her home and taken to the same facility as the previous "subject."

* * *

Jason Grace didn't know right off the bat that he had powers. It took some mishaps, some confusion, and _a lot_ of thinking. The only conclusion he could come to was that he was either an alien or had powers. Although with both of those in mind, the ending was the same. He'd be taken away by the government. The only reason he knew who would take him was because of his sister, Thalia.

When Jason was 11, Thalia found out that he was being bullied by a kid who kept making him eat staplers. She only meant to "'ruff 'em up" and have a little chat, but the girl was a real sassy pants and couldn't mask it. The little girl said name after name and went insult after insult. Thalia had kept a straight face right up until the child ranted "And your brother is a blond idiot!" That did it. Jason, who'd been watching from afar, saw thunder clouds roll in directly above the two. Lighting shot out directly at Thalia, or more so…her hand? There in Thalia's hand, right after the loud crackle, she held a blazing and steaming zig-zag. Or more accurate, _a lighting rod._ Thalia barely seemed to notice the rod, much less the clouds. But the one distinct detail that was glued to Jason's mind, was the way her eyes had glowed like lightning. It was almost scary. As if she had been a completely different person.

Not even a week after the confrontation, had police and men and women in black suits, come to "Take Thalia from the premises," they'd said. From what he could recall, they didn't care if she was unwilling to come. What he _didn't_ forget was that the police had their hands on their guns, as if Thalia would attack them. Which she wouldn't…..right? Jason's mother either couldn't stop them, or didn't care enough to.

When Jason first noticed he could do things that other couldn't, he'd been about 10. He'd taken his dog, Rufus, out on a late night walk. It was about 7:30 pm when he left the house, but the sky had still looked like 3:00 pm on a cloudy day.

After feeling that his walk was completed, Jason began heading back. About 5 houses from his own, he heard sirens and turned around to see a police car pulling over next to him.

"What are you doing out here so late, kid? It's too dark to be walking around, especially at your age." The policeman had asked.

"Dark?" Jason questioned, facing the sky once more. He didn't understand what the guy was asking. The sky didn't seem dark, much less too dark for a walk. "It's not dark." Jason simply answered.

The policeman stared at him for a minute, as if trying to figure out what was wrong with him. Jason wasn't lying, so he assumed he didn't look like he was.

"Alright kid, head on home. Stay safe, g'night." The cop took his leave, leaving Jason to wonder if there was something wrong with him or the other guy.

After that, Jason slowly found out about more and more of his...abilities? Powers? He never could put an exact name on them. Powers had always seemed to do more with helping people, which he hadn't done. Yet, an ability sounds like something taught and learned. And no one _definitely_ taught him how to have night vision, regenerate, enhanced 5 senses, and _especially_ flight.

The first time Jason flew, was an accident. Over time he'd discovered that his controllable gifts(?), as in not night vision and the 5 senses, would kick-in whenever he was stressed, irritated, startled, or felt inferior. After Thalia was taken away, he began having nightmares of the people in black suits dragging him into their fancy, black cars. In those same nightmares, however, he fought. He'd punch and kick and did anything to get them off of him. The first time he had this experience, he'd woken up with his back on the ceiling. When he realized the position he was in, he immediately fell face-down and laid there trying to process everything at once.

Whilst having this crisis, Jason's mother moved to a new town. They had moved to a new town to get away from all the "Where did Thalia go?" and "I haven't seen Thalia around much, how is she?" Although Jason always figured that they'd moved because it annoyed his mom, not because it brought back bad memories.

In his new town he met Percy Jackson, Leo Valdez, and Annabeth Chase. The way they met was a little odd, but would definitely be remembered.

Jason had been walking around the new town about 1 week before his 8th grade year when he came across a park. Said park contained two other boys who looked about his age. Jason hadn't felt too social recently, so he took a seat on a swing away from the other kids, although they didn't seem to notice him. One of the boys had a water bottle and the other, matches. He figured that they'd set something on fire and then put it out. Or at least, he _hoped _they would put it out.

Except, the kid with the water did something a little funny. He opened the water bottle, and started motioning upwards with his hands. Sure enough, the water contained by the bottle began to slowly rise, coming out the top.

As this went on, the kid with the matches lit a few and then…..ate..them..? The boy just threw them into his mouth like it was his favorite snack.

_Clearly, _he thought, _The two of them have powers. _

Jason wasn't new to what could happen when too many people with powers gathered. _Someone _is going to be taken away, and it wasn't about to be him.

He silently stood up and began to walk away. However, before he could exit the park, something screeched and it sounded as if a bird's claw scraped against a chalkboard. Not to mention that his enhanced hearing didn't help at all.

He fell to his knees, and covered his ears. But a warm liquid was getting all over his hands, and dripping onto the ground below. Was that…blood? The noise stopped, but the pain didn't. He wasn't deaf, but he wasn't okay either.

"You always overdo it, Percy." A voice getting closer said. "You're lucky I had my ear plugs with me."

"No, I always do it just enough. He's down isn't he?" The one who must be Percy claimed.

"Yes, he's down with bleeding ears and is possibly deaf." The unknown boy warned. "He can't just suddenly go home and be deaf."

"I _know_, Leo. That's why he's not going home." Percy stated. "He's coming home with us."

"Oh-" The boy who was called Leo began speaking another language. Spanish? Jason was in too much pain to think and much less regenerate to fix whatever damage he'd taken. He didn't know if it was the loss of blood or the pain that caused him to pass out. Maybe both.

When he came to, he was lying in a blue room. Literally. Everything from the carpet to the ceiling was blue, just different shades. With the exception of the white dressers and chairs.

He sat up, and found the strength he'd just so recently lost. He regenerated and in less than 5 seconds, his ears felt fine. He put a hand on his head and tried to remember what happened. Those boys..Percy and Leo? They'd done something to him and said they'd take him home. This must be their place.

He looked at his phone to check the time and it was, wow. 10:32 am on a Thursday. He had gone to the park at about 6:30 pm, yesterday. He looked at his text messages and found a text to his mom that he didn't remember sending. Mostly because he doesn't text his mom. It read, "Hey mom, I'm going to be at a friend's house tonight so don't worry." There hadn't been a reply, of course. As if she cared at all. Hell, she probably went out with her drinking buddies last night and didn't even see the message.

The door began to open, and a lady peeked her head through.

"Oh, you're up!" She laughed, coming through the door completely. She brought in a tray with a glass of milk, a bowl of oatmeal and assorted fruits.

"I'm sorry about my sons. They told me that you three were playing in the park and you were hit by a ball and fainted." She set the tray down on a nightstand near him. "But I'm glad they have more friends than each other and Annabeth. It's nice to meet you, you can call me Ms. Jackson." She smiled with an outstretched hand.

"It's nice to meet you too, I'm Jason Grace." He faked a smile and shook her hand.

Ms. Jackson left the room and Jason could only figure that she had no idea what her sons _could _do and what they _did _do.

Regeneration can also cure hunger, so Jason didn't have any sort of cravings at the moment, but he ate anyway. With a nice mom like that, Jason wouldn't want to let her know the frightening things he could do either.

After his meal, he held the door ajar, and looked around. From his position, he could only see another door across the hall. He crept out of his and headed for the other. Slowly opening it, reveled a black wooden floor and white ceiling. But the actual walls were orange, red, and yellow like fires dancing around. In the bed (and snoring loudly) were Leo and Percy.

_Guess they're not morning people._ Jason thought, closing the door. Wandering around some more, he found the kitchen and a note on the table. _Gone to work, see you all later. _He assumed it was from Ms. Jackson. In the kitchen were tons of pictures on the walls. Mostly of water boy and Ms. Jackson. It wasn't until water boy looked about 10, that the match kid also appeared. Adopted? Most likely.

"Stop right there." A familiar voice commanded.

Jason turned and was face-to-a hand on fire with match kid.

"Don't move or I'll burn you, blondie." He threatened.

Jason put his hands up as if he was under arrest. True, even if he was burned he could always regenerate, but all that pain wasn't worth it.

Water boy then came around the corner, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

"What're you doing Le- Oh, it's you." The one who must be Percy noticed. "What are you all doing?"

"Well, I'm being threatened by lava _boy_ ." Jason answered, receiving a chuckle from Percy.

"He was trying to leave and expose us." Leo assumed.

"Oh, I'll call Annabeth. She'll know what to do." Percy said, clearly still quite groggy. He took his phone off the counter, pressed a few buttons, and put it to his ear.

"Hey, can you come over? This guy, saw Leo and I use our powers. We were at the park. Well we didn't see anyone around. Well, not at first. Ok. Ok. See you in a second." Percy finished, setting his phone on the floor.

Before Jason could wonder why he'd set his phone on the floor, Percy's phone began to glow as a blonde girl's face appeared on the screen. Slowly, the girl's body was pulled (or pushed) out of the phone head first. After a couple of seconds, there was the same girl from the screen standing there before them.

Jason's jaw was dropped and it didn't seem like he planned on bringing it back up anytime soon.

"D-Did she just, c-come through that phone?!" he exclaimed, pointing to the device still on the floor.

"Yeah, what of it?" The girl said, now facing him. "And why didn't you tell them? They're all freaking out for no reason." She sat down at the kitchen table.

"What are you talking about Annabeth?" Percy asked (blushing?)

"Go ahead stranger, tell 'em." Annabeth said, gesturing towards Jason.

Jason didn't need an explanation to know that she somehow knew he had powers as well.

"I have powers…too?" He said for clarification, making sure that's what she meant.

"I know." Annabeth answered back.

"WHAT?" Percy and Leo shouted in unison.

"Are you kidding me man?" Leo asked, taking a seat next to the girl. "Don't do that to me, I was scared you'd call the government or somthin'." He sighed.

"So what can you do?" Percy asked, being the third to sit down.

All three stared at him like he had his fly open.

"Uh, a few things. I can fly, I have enhanced 5 senses, super strength, night vision, and I can regenerate." Jason admitted.

"So you're a blond superman? Nice." Leo joked.

"But can you really fly? Or is it just levitation? There's a difference." Annabeth questioned.

"I can fly. Highest I've ever been, was above the clouds. But I don't to it too often, I almost ran into an airplane once."

"Alrightie then! Lets all introduce ourselves to our new friend, whose name we are yet to know?" Leo suggested.

"It's Jason. Jason Grace."

"Good to know Jason, I'm Leo Valdez. I can control fire, duplicate myself, create light that can become fire, and I have extreme intelligence." Leo said proudly.

"But you won't see that last part often." Percy joked. He reached a hand out to Jason. 'I'm Percy Jackson. I can control water, breath under water, manipulate sound waves, and make sounds with higher pitches than normal humans. Sorry about that last time."

"No worries." Jason approved, even though that had hurt like hell.

"Last, but not least, I'm Annabeth Chase. I can teleport between anything electrical as you just recently saw, walk through walls, create portals and wormholes, time travel, and I can tell when others have powers."

"You can _time travel?_" Jason asked, astonished.

"And walk through walls." Annabeth repeated, ignoring his question.

"Yeah I mean that's cool and all, but _time travel?_" Jason also repeated, still in shock.

"Yeah," Annabeth agreed, biting into an apple. "It's pretty cool."

"I can imagine…" Jason sighed, thinking of all the possibilities.

That morning in Ms. Jackson's kitchen was the kick-start to an amazing friendship built on the need to keep the quartet's biggest secrets, well… _secret_.


	2. Leo Valdez

_Oh, fuck._

Leo Valdez thought (and might've said) as he watched his entire room go up in flames. He was just experimenting, _experimenting_. Nothing huge, he'd told himself. Not a big flame, just a little flicker on his hands. How did it go so wrong?

Leo Valdez, was marked for "extreme intelligence" when he was seven. He excelled in math, science, and anything that involved a textbook. He spent his days reading practicing college-level formulas, reading newspapers, and playing with fire. Leo had always felt a strange pull towards the element. Naturally, no one approved of the attraction. He'd never forget the look on his mother's face when he stuck his hand into a fire to retrieve a fallen marshmallow.

Since then, fire was banned from the household, or was _supposed _to be.

Curious as to how the fire hadn't hurt him, Leo would often hide matches and lighter in his room. When night had fallen and everyone in the house was asleep, Leo would light matches and put them on his skin. Only to find that it didn't burn.

One night, however, he dropped a couple lit matches, which caught onto a long string of old papers laying about. Thus, bringing us here:

_Oh fuck, Oh fuck._ Leo thought as he raced about the room, looking for water of some sort. The flames grew more and more by the second, consuming all things in its' way. Leo dashed out the door, grabbed a bucket and ran to the bathroom for water.

"Why does the fire detector not work _now_?" Leo cursed to himself, thinking back to all the burnt toast he ever made.

When the bucket was full, he quickly yet carefully went back to his room only to find that the fire might need more than one bucket.

He poured what he had and tried stomping out smaller fires than were forming. The fire had taken his bed, his desk, and was nearing the door. It was clear who was winning this fight. It was too late to do anything else but get out.

He ran out of his room and darted to his mother's and grandma's doors.

"Mom! Grandma! Get up, get up! There's a fire!" he screamed at the top of his lungs, banging on the door as hard as possible.

His mother unexpectedly opened the door, causing Leo to accidentally hit her in her stomach.

"Mom! There's a fire! We have to get out!" He screamed through tears, as she stared appalled at the orange glow coming from his room.

"Okay, okay!" She knelt down onto one knee and put her hands on his shoulders. "**You** need to get out _now_-"

"But what about Fest-"

"_Now. _I need to get grandma, alert the landlord, and call the firemen." Leo's mother finished, kissing him on the head and pushing him towards the door.

The fire was now in the hallway, coming for the family of three. When turned to go get her own mother, Leo went after Festus, their dog, anyway. Festus must've been able to tell that something was wrong because he was barking, growling ,and whimpering all together. Leo un-locked his cage, picked him up, and carried him out the door.

Common sense told him not to take the elevator, but they _were _on the 7th floor. He kicked open the door to the stairs and jogged down them. He saw others coming out of the door and could only assume that his mom had told the landlord the issue already.

Finally out of the building he saw the fire coming out of the windows and stretching into other apartments. Smoke rose above the building, disappearing into the night sky while Leo frantically searched around for his family.

"Mom? Mom?! Grandma?!" He yelled, though he also doubted anyone could hear him with all the people's chatter, crackling of fire, and distant sirens going on. The apartment building was slowly but surely collapsing. And his family was possibly still in there.

He asked a kid that he thought he knew to hold Festus (well more like shoved Festus into his arms and mumbled something) and dashed towards the fiery building. Sure fire couldn't hurt him, but he didn't know it that ran in the family.

The building's air was hard to see in and much less breath in, but he trudged forwards anyway. Only to have a muscular arm wrap around his waist and pull him back before he could even get onto the first stair.

A firemen threw him over his back and jogged back out front. Then proceeded to Leo onto the ground, screaming "Are you _MAD_, sonny! We're about to hose this place down, and there's no way in _HELL_ you're going up there!"

There was still plenty of smoke in his lungs, so between coughs he said something like this:

"Mom *cough* still in *cough* there need my…

Leo could only hope and assume the man had gotten the gist, because he passed out before he could finish.

* * *

Leo awoke to a hospital room. (Which was weird because Leo's family could never before afford to be in the hospital.) Something heavy covered his legs and he had to sit up to see what it was.

"Festus!" He exclaimed, swooping up the dog who looked at him groggily.

He hugged the corgi tightly, and didn't let go until an unknown figure stepped into the room.

"Oh, I'm glad you're awake." A woman with a doctor's coat on smiled, and outstretched a hand. "I'm Dr. Joanna."

Leo hesitantly shook her hand and smiled back. "I'm Leo Valdez, it's nice to meet you."

"Likewise. I've come to inform you that all of the people whose homes were lost in last night's fire stayed here for the night and were treated. But I've also come to personally explain something to you…" She finished seeming a bit sad when she said the last sentence.

"Before that, could you tell me what room my mother and grandma are in? I want to see them."

Pursing her lips "That's what this is about, your mother and grandmother…passed away last night in the fire."

The sentence hung in the air and the only sounds heard were Festus' pants and the slow _beep, beep, beep_ of the anesthetic monitor.

"You're lying." Leo simply whispered, going back to hugging Festus. "Why are you lying?" Tears began to form in his eyes and fall down slowly onto the dog below. "They're the only family I have so why would you lie to me?" His voice cracked as he barely made out the last words.

"Get out!" He screamed suddenly ,causing Festus to leap off him. "Get _out_!" He yelled again, thrashing his arms and legs about.

The woman, Dr. Joanna, was on her feet and off the bed instantly.

"I'm sorry about your loss, but we have no choice but to put you into foster care." She explained slowly, minding Leo's fragile state. "You'll be moved later today, around 3 pm." She finished, exiting the room.

True to her word, Dr. Joanna brought an all too happy couple to take him from the hospital. A man in his late 20s and a woman in her early 30s, with 3 other children. Two 16 year olds and an 8 year old. None too friendly or at all for that matter. Since the 8 year old was closet to his age, he tried to make nice. _Not _almost burn his face off.

Leo was taken from the home to another….and another….and _another_. He never tired of causing trouble at one home and being moved to another.

Except something different happened when he ended up in his lat foster home. A woman who must've been no older than 35 _adopted _him. Like, actually came to the home and wanted to _adopt _him. Leo Valdez. Which was him. Who somebody (other than his mother and grand) _wanted._

Leo wasn't against it, but he wondered if adopted kids were returnable. If so, he planned to experience that soon enough. Somewhere along the way he found out that the lady was a widow named Sally Jackson. Who also had a little boy at home who didn't know that he was getting a sibling. Leo rolled his eyes upon hearing that. _Great, another little asshole to deal with._

When the day of departure came, Ms Jackson (Mom?) came to pick him up. He waved goodbye to no one in particular, as his past family was so happy to be rid of him they actually went to church for once.

Arriving at the Jackson's door, he watched his new family member unlock the door and let in him first. Doing a quick scan of his surroundings gave him a Welcome Home gist that he assumed all the guest received.

"So," Ms Jackson began, "You're room is just this way-" She turned and unexpectedly bumped into a figure, slightly shorter than her.

"Whoops, sorry mom." A boy who must be his new _brother_, said. "Who's this?" He also said, taking notice of Leo's luggage.

"This is Leo Valdez….your new brother!" Ms. Sally shouted, throwing both her arms into the air as if Leo had been a birthday present.

The two boys looked at one another, one with blatant surprise and the other with utter annoyance.

The annoyed boy rolled his eyes and asked "Where did you say my room was?" Realizing that his new parent never got the chance to show him.

"Oh, right! This way!" She answered, not sensing the awkward tension.

Percy looked back at him as Leo passed by, clearly understanding that he'd just been cast aside.

After a quick tour of the house, Leo laid his bed in his mostly empty room. _They seem nice enough,_ he thought as he closed his eyes. _It's a shame…_

Leo awoke and noticed there was no longer light outside his window, only darkness and the faint glow of a distant street light. He sat up in his bed and noted that his door was ajar. Which explained the plate of food sitting on a nearby table. The note on it read: _I'd be tired if I was you too! - Mom?_ He could only assume the question mark was a suggestion to begin calling her such. No need for that.

He exited his room and saw a door across from his own. Peeking in revealed blue waves on walls attached to a carpet, only one shade of blue darker. With the exception of the white dressers and chairs, everything from the floor to the ceiling was blue.

With the computer and his back facing Leo, Percy sat and did whatever he does on the computer with headphones on. From his distance it looked like a blog of some sort. Nonetheless, he slowly closed the door and walked towards the kitchen. All he planned was a fire small enough to set off the alarm, burn his clothes a bit, and most importantly: Alert the family. He did think the Jackson's were nice people, but not the type he deserved. Once they came to his "rescue," he'd make up some obviously bullshit excuse that they'd never believe. From there, Ms. Jackson would realize her mistake; and correct it.

Heating his hand to a burning red became hand-held fire. But before he could pull off his master plan , behind him he heard:

"Um, dude?" He turned (still holding fire, mind you) around to see his short time brother staring wide-eyed at him with headphones around his neck, still blaring music.

_Fuck_. Leo wasn't sure if he'd mouthed, thought, or said. As he considered this, his "small" flame grew to be a bit more without his notice. Nearby kitchen cloths caught on fire and Percy seemed to act faster than he ever did.

Leo stood in a stupor as his mind registered:

1.) _Someone knows I have powers._

2.) _This is happening __again__._

3.) Wait, what is Percy doing?

The last thought un-shocked him as he watched Percy run towards the faucet and begin to move his hands in a pulling motion. Then out came…_water?_ He certainly hadn't turned on the sink, so how? Percy stared at him once again as he manipulated the water into a circle around him shouting "Help me out, man!"

Leo finally got himself together and jumped into action. He knew he could control fire as well as make it, but that had gone un-attempted. _Now's as good a time as any._ He thought, recalling and imitating how his almost brother had practically called on the water. He slowly but surely pulled it off the walls, still burning cloths, and thought about it coming together as a small ball. And it did. The fire was now his if anything. Percy saw his chance and willed the water circle to open and encase the ball, putting it out.

Even though he'd just tried something new with his powers, found out a family member had powers too and almost burnt down another area, all Leo could think was: _What the __hell__ is with fire detectors and me? _

Both boys collapsed onto the floor, panting and sweating from the past event. Which makes it the perfect time for Ms. Jackson's motherly instincts to kick in and have her run into the kitchen in her robe.

"Boys!" She crouched down, examining them both. She glanced up around her and saw the burnt parts of the walls, decorations and fabrics. "What…" Was all she said. She automatically turned back to the two and gave them a confused expression.

Leo didn't know what to say. Did she know about Percy? About himself?

"Hahaha," Percy laughed nervously, as if he was trying to think of what he'd say next. "Well…you know I can't cook for anything…so I thought I'd asked Leo, but…turns out he can't cook either.."

It wasn't a horrible lie like Leo would've thought of, but it might not have succeeded either.

Ms. Jackson sighed, seeming to understand that she wouldn't get the truth.

"Okay, but I want this cleaned up first thing in the morning. Got it?" She stood up and began to head back to her room.

"Got it, mom." Leo meant to mumble, but it came out louder than he meant.

The woman in front of him stopped walking for a second, and Leo could've bet money that before she continued her stride, the corners of her mouth pushed up by her ears.

"Well that was a roller coaster." Percy breathed.

"You're telling me." Leo agreed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Also," Reaching his hand out. "I don't believe we've formally met. I'm Leo Valdez."

Percy smiled what would later become his signature grin, "I'm Percy. Percy Jackson. Welcome to the family."

* * *

Sorry! This took WAY too long to update! Hope you enjoy/enjoyed~


	3. Percy Jackson

Percy could breathe underwater. His father, could not.

* * *

Mr. and Mrs. Jackson had been saving up to go on a much deserved vacation with their son, Percy. They'd been planning to visit some friends and family in Florida and take a break from a freezing winter. And for once in their lives, it seemed like everything would be ok. Seemed.

When the long awaited plane ride to Heaven came, the youngest Jackson was overjoyed. According to a flight attendant, the boy spoke to him about the beaches and warm weather that he looked forward to every time he passed by.

After the flight and meeting up with family, it was time. Percy couldn't hide his excitement the whole ride there, practically bouncing up and down on the seats. Upon arrival and the opening of the car doors, the young boy jumped straight out and darted for the body of water that laid ahead...only to have an arm pull him back just before the water hit his ankles.

"Haha," A voice that Percy would always know laughed . "Not so fast Quicksilver, water proof sunscreen first."

"Aw c'mon dad," Percy complained, watching the water get further and further away. "I have sun-proof skin, but it doesn't work on dry land."

"Is that so?" The elder chuckled, opening a new bottle of sunscreen. "Well it's a good thing this does."

Percy accepted defeat and let his doting dad smother all his exposed skin in sun block, as his mother laughed at the "Father and Son" bonding session from under an umbrella.

"Okay, let's make a deal." Mr. Jackson said as he finished applying the cream. "If you beat me in a race, then the rest of the vacation you don't have to use sunscreen. BUT if I win the race, you have to hold my hand for the rest of the vacation. Deal?"

"But what if you go to the bathroom?"

"There'll be some exceptions." He smiled.

"Ok! You're on! Where are we racing to?" The younger beamed, eager to win his no-sun screen vacation.

"Riiiiiight there." Mr. Jackson said pointing out somewhere towards the ocean.

"Where?"

"Right there."

"Where is "right there"!" Percy exclaimed, getting frustrated.

"Riiiiiiiiight, THERE!" The father yelled, darting towards an unknown point as he said the last word.

"Hey, no fair!" Percy shouted back, racing to catch up.

Though his father was well into his 30's, he didn't challenge him to a race for nothing. Percy was more than an arms' length behind him, still struggling to catch up. Cold water hit his waist before he realized he was in the water and a wave was coming. Through eyes that burned due to lack of goggles, Percy could just barely see his father swimming much farther ahead of him now than before. Between choking on water and understanding that no matter where the "finish line" was he'd lost the race, Percy went under. But almost 1 second before he did, he could swear that he heard that same ever familiar voice shout: PERCY!

Yes, he was indeed choking on water. And yet, not exactly. He had a mixture of air and water in his lungs, but which ever decided to be dominant didn't feel too bad. Having had his eyes shut this whole time, he decided to ignore the burn and open them, seeing that he was much further from the surface than he originally thought. As was his dad. Percy's mind told him to swim up and meet his father half-way but his body felt a weird yet pleasant attraction to the water, and insisted that he stay a while.

The water around Percy began to darken, making it seem as if his father was just a silhouette with the bright surface behind him. Though he sunk lower and lower, Percy was breathing just fine. However, his father's rapid downward swimming was slowing down. Percy tore from his trance and began to swim upward. He shook his dad, trying to get him to open his eyes. When he didn't, Percy decided to bring him to the surface.

Upon arrival, Percy's ears rung to the sound of his mother calling for the two. Along with trying to cough out the water that had not so long ago filled his lungs. With the absence of water, his father's full weight kicked in. He struggled to lug him onto shore, but his mom spotted them at last and ran to help. While Mrs. Jackson laid her husband on his back and attempted CPR, Percy flagged down a life guard and pointed to the nearby situation.

When the lifeguard finally was there to help, a crowd had already formed around the situation. The guard tore though the crowd, and with Percy close behind him, found that the situation had been dealt with in the worst possible way.

Percy could breathe underwater. His father, could not.

* * *

The death took its' toll on everyone, but Percy suffered greatly at the loss. Cousins whom had been distant to him, but close to his father, had blamed him for the death. His two uncles, who'd never seemed to like him anyway, had also cursed him in more ways than one.

It didn't matter that his mother would remind him every hour that he wasn't to blame. Because he could hear her cry late at night after she thought he was asleep. He'd blamed himself, too. Maybe if he'd just swam towards him earlier, or never even wanted to go to the beach in the first place, his father would be here to tuck him into bed and kiss him goodnight. But he wasn't.

Since that day, Percy hadn't gone swimming or even near any body of water. When he did, the water practically called him forth and he would just barely get away. He made an immediate switch from baths to showers, and even had to force himself to drink water.

He devolved what his therapist called, hydrophobia.

It wasn't necessarily a problem…..until a group of school bullies gave him a swirlie. The actual experience _was _bad, but it was worse when Percy had a damn near heart attack from believing that he was drowning. Then he made each sink and toilet (minus his own) have its own personal geyser experience. The jerks freaked out and reported him to the principal, earning him a 2 week suspension + extra homework. Along with a new nickname in school: Toilet boy.

That nickname followed him all the way to the middle of next school year. 7th grade had been going pretty well, excluding the whispers of "Toilet boy" and "Freak-a-zoid." A's, B's, and the occasional C showed a lot of improvement from last year. He stopped therapy and could now drink a whole glass of water without a second thought, though swimming was still a no-go. He didn't forget his past, but he put it behind him. Hell, sometimes he'd even practice water-bending, as he began to call it after watch ATLA.

He'd been relaxing after school one day, and waiting for his mother to return from her errands when he heard the front door unlock. He went to greet her and instead saw a Latino boy with…luggage?

_Oh, no._ Had been his first thought. He figured that some random cousin who probably still held a grudge against him had come to stay a week or 2. Until his mother introduced him as his new brother.

An awkward moment passed by and his/their mother went to show his new brother, Leo, his room.

_What the fuck, what the FUCK, WHAT THE FUCK? _What did his mom just say? His brother? Whose brother? Hers? His?

Percy went to his mother's room, only to find her sitting on her bed and taking off her shoes.

"Um, what was that out there?" He questioned.

"What was what? Do you mean your brother? Don't address him as a "what." His name is Leo, and he's your slightly younger brother." Ms. Jackson sternly replied.

"I," Pointing to himself. "Don't have _any_ siblings. Much less ones I haven't even heard of!" Percy stated, frustrated at his mother's answers.

"I adopted him, and now you do have a sibling. You should be happy! Not upset!" The woman said, not understanding Percy's response to a brother.

"You didn't even want to tell me about this! Just pop it on me like a birthday surprise?!" Percy argued, not caring that Leo may or may be able to hear him from next door.

"Shh, he might hear you! And did you consider _my _feelings?!" Ms. Jackson asked, now standing up and getting closer to her first son.

"Did you consider, _mine_?!" Percy stormed out of the room and went into his own, locking the door. He put headphones on and turned the music up as loud as it could go, and resorted to blogging about it.

He surfed the web for a good hour before taking a nap, and going at it again. At some point of the night he felt his stomach growl and risked going out of his room again, in hopes that his mother wasn't still up and angry.

Even before his fathers' death, he'd known that his parents wanted another son. Tyson was the name they picked, and before he was even born they'd already had the Christmas ornament. Why they never did the deed? He'd never know.

He removed his headphones but his midnight snacking trip was cut short. Leo stood with his back facing Percy and a flame in hand. Before he could stop his excellent display of the English language he said: "Um, dude?"

Leo quickly turned around and the new brothers were face to face. One of them, unnaturally holding something that was beginning to spread around the kitchen.

_"EMERGENCY!" _Percy's brain screamed at him as he jumped into action. Obviously water was needed and if anyone could help in that department, it was Percy. He ran towards the sink and called forth a suitable amount of water. Leo still appeared to be shocked so he shouted "Help me out, man!" and that kicked him into action.

Before anymore of the kitchen could be burned, Percy made the water around him into a circle as he thought "_Thanks Katara_." Leo was doing his firebending thing and managed to compress the flames it a ball, giving Percy the opportunity to put it out.

Once done, the two boys sat on the kitchen floor with minimal smoke slowly rising. The mother of the two came rushing into the kitchen, wearing her favorite robe with a less than favorable expression.

Of course, she began throwing them questions like crazy. Causing Percy to pull some story straight out of his ass, but she didn't buy it anyway. Percy had expected a gigantic lecture and punishment for messing up the kitchen (Though it wasn't technically his fault) but instead, his mother sighed. She said how she wanted the kitchen clean and then went to bed. But before that, his adopted family member called her mom, and he didn't need to see her face to know how happy she was.

"I don't believe we've formally met. I'm Leo Valdez." Leo said, outstretching his hand.

Percy shook his hand saying, "I'm Percy. Percy Jackson. Welcome to the family."

* * *

From there and on, it was Percy and Leo vs The world. They became the trouble makers throughout the school, much to Sally's disliking. Detention and extra homework were constant with the two, although they insisted that trouble _found them_. Neither Percy nor Leo talked much with others within the school. Well, there was one goth-ish kid who seemed to like Percy a little too much, but he moved away after a "family problem" occurred.

"Man, this sucks." Leo breathed, earning a 'shush' from the teacher who watched over Friday detention.

"Well, we wouldn't be here if a certain someone hadn't set their paper on fire in class." Percy whispered back but not quietly enough.

"Jacksons!" Mr. D said standing up and walking their way now. "You will have plenty of time to converse over the weekend….is what I'm happy to not say. Thank you for earning yourself an _extra_ math packet."

"Cut me some slack, teach." Leo dared say.

"Yeah, he's been really out of it lately." Percy joined in.

"Ah, good then. Nothing another extra packet can't cure. For the both of you." Mr. D finished, sitting back at his desk.

"Damn," Percy said, sighing as he left the classroom and went out into the hallway. "I never even listen in class! How am I supposed to do a packet?"

"Well how about it "mysteriously" gets burnt?" Leo laughed, tossing his packets in a nearby trashcan.

"Or my brainy brother does it for me." He smiled, pulling out the puppy eyes.

"I'm selectively smart, meaning I use my brains when I choose. And I don't choose to use them on _your_ homework." Leo pointed at the packets and fired a small flame at them.

"Hey! Cut it out!" Percy moved his papers out of the line of fire. Literally. He pulled out a mini water bottle and splashed it into Leo's face, then proceeded to pull it all back off and hold it in a sort of orb.

"Do you really want to do this now? Here?" Leo asked, lighting his hand.

"I'd rather not, but if we must…"

Then the two duked it out, fire and water bender style. Completely forgetting about the existence of school security cameras…

That next Monday, Percy and Leo walked towards Mr. D's classroom. One with two packets in hand, and the other with his hands in his pockets.

Instead of completing their journey, the boys were cut off when a girl with blonde hair stepped in front of them.

"Gentlemen," She began, and by the look on her face Percy thought that would be last time someone called him that. "Follow me, please."

The brothers looked at each other, shrugged, then followed after the girl.

"Holy shit," Leo whispered "I just realized that's Annabeth Chase! The student council president. Girl rules with an iron fist…"

"Yeah, she's.." Percy agreed, watching the girl in front of them while slightly blushing "..cool."

"Your face tells me that you think a little more than that about her." Leo stated, and before Percy could respond, raced to catch up to the blonde who'd picked up her pace.

The three stood inside of a security closet and in front of them were about 14 monitors, all of them obviously showing what a camera somewhere was seeing,

"Now, being the student council president, it's also a part of my job to replay these tapes at the end of every week and report suspicious activities to the principal or vice."

"Aaaand I'm assuming that you caught us doing something "suspicious?" Leo guessed.

"No, I know exactly what you were doing. But I don't condone _where _you were doing it."

With that, Annabeth went to one of the monitors and played back a familiar scene for the two.

"That was a cheap shot!" Leo heard his own voice say and watched himself from the past shoot another stream of fire at his brother.

"Cheap shots are all I know!" Percy laughed, dodging his brother's attack.

The video played the entire scene, including when Leo slipped and fell from some of Percy's water. When it ended, Annabeth cleared her throat and said

"Not exactly the wisest place to play, don't you think?"

"We can explain! It was just umm, umm.." Leo stuttered and then looked to Percy, the expert liar.

"It was…magic?" Percy asked instead of stating.

"Yeah, not buying it." Annabeth said with an all too serious face. "Here's my advice to you: Don't use your powers in public. And this is a public school, by the way."

She turned to leave but was stopped by Leo asking,

"You're not gonna rat us out? Or give us to the government?"

She smiled and before she continued walking said:

"Ratting you out draws too much attention to myself, I'll delete the tapes so long as you never expose yourselves like that again."

"To yours-" But before Leo could finish his question, he watched the girl walk through the closed door without any trouble at all.

Leaving one boy to say "Whoa," at the sight of an amazing power.

And the other to say "Whoa," at the coming and going of a beauty.

* * *

AN: Wow, that took forever! Never fear, this is the final "back-story" chapter. The actual plot will begin in Chapter 4! **SORT OF SPOILER WARNING COMING: ** The next chapter will more than likely be in Nico's P.O.V. I hope you enjoyed~ Until next time :3


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